Mailbag: “Joseph Clokey”

January 11, 2010

Dear Michael,

For some time I have been meaning to write to you to suggest that perhaps the time is right for a Joseph Waddell Clokey revival. As you no doubt know his music for organ and for choir were among the most performed works of the 1950's. Last spring I asked John Sherer, organist and music director at my church (Fourth Presbyterian) to see if he could dig up something and he performed Clokey's “Cantabile”, as a prelude to worship, which proved to be quite lovely.
I am a distant relative of Clokey's and when doing some research about him I learned that his adopted son was Art Clokey, the creator of Gumby and also of the Davey and Goliath television program. I am motivated in part to write you as I just read in the L. A. Times that Art died on 8 Jan. at the age of 88.
Hope you may have some interest in pursuing my suggestion. You're just the guy to do it!

Jay

 

Jay,

While I enjoy a little Joseph Clokey now and then, I doubt that I will be the one to lead the charge in a revival.
I do have a 2CD set of various organ pieces, and selections from that will pop up now and then.
Never did watch Gumby.... :-)

 

jmb

 

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